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Feature

First of All News from Around Town

Virginia Dance FestivalBenefiting the Children’s Hospital of Richmond

Volunteering After 50It’s Better Than Kale!

HealthCreating a Beautiful Smile

Daddy G’s SalsaFollowing a Delicious Dream

FlavorIn Search ofInternational Dishes

HomeHome Automation No Longer a Thing of the Future

The Perfect HostHow to Make Your Home Inviting for Visitors

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THRILL OF THE HUNT IN ASHLAND, VA

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CONTENTS

2014 SHOPPER‘S GUIDEAs the season for shopping begins, think outside the big

box store for f inding unique items for yourself, your home, and your family and friends.

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November/December 2014

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RichmondNavigator.com 5November/December 2014

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Celebrate!

THE HOLIDAYS are the perfect time to take a step back and celebrate your values! This month’s issue of Hanover Lifestyle magazine can inspire you to affirm what means the most to you, to finish off 2014 with memories that last for life.

With family and friends, celebration means spending meaningful time together and commemorating your love and affection with gifts from the heart. This month’s column by designer Vicki O’Neal offers tips for seasonal hosting, for entertaining guests in your home. Our annual Shopper’s Guide provides gift suggestions from local vendors. Thumb slowly through these pages, taking time to ponder your loved ones and consider their needs and desires. Take time to find the perfect tribute to that special person!

Does making your home safer and more convenient rank high among your values? Erin Pittman’s look at automated home technology gives you insight into thrilling new possi-bilities: monitoring your home from afar; automating light switches, window treatments, and temperature; home security; and more – conveniences that make it exciting to live in contemporary times.

If you value benevolence – reaching out to touch the lives of others – you’ll enjoy Con-stance Whitney’s whimsical look at volunteer opportunities. She’ll no doubt convince you that volunteerism is better than kale.

And if your family is like mine, special times are often built around meals together. Our Flavor section this month highlights international restaurants, with delectable dishes from Asia, Italy, and Mexico, all bringing tastes of the nations to your plate.

Other articles this month celebrate the Hanover community: Daddy G’s Salsa founder Chris Galiffa; Marilyn Borglum, equine artist exhibiting at Gallery Flux in Ashland; and a rockin’ seminar at Randolph-Macon College.

Although family and friends are important year-round, let this month’s issue of Hanover Lifestyle be a reminder to finish off 2014 by affirming your values!

Annie [email protected]

FROM THE EDITOR

A PUBLICATION OF

ALL ARTICLES AND CONTENTS OF THIS MAGA ZINE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE OPINIONS

OR THOUGHTS OF HANOVER LIFESTYLE MAGA ZINE, ADVERTISING CONCEPTS, INC OR THE PUBLISHER.

PRESIDENT/PUBLISHERWilliam J. Davis, Jr.

VICE-PRESIDENT/PUBLISHERCheryl T. Davis

MANAGING EDITORAnnie Tobey

ASSISTANT EDITORSSteve Cook, Tammie Wersinger

CREATIVE DIRECTORJoseph Wharton

GRAPHIC DESIGNERNora Bollinger

ADVERTISING CONSULTANTSJared Davis, Joe May

CUSTOMER SERVICE CONSULTANTColleen MacCabe

DISTRIBUTION MANAGERJustin Warner

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Temple Hill

CONTRIBUTORSSteve Cook, Vicki O’Neal,

Erin Pittman, Constance Whitney

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All rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from

the publisher is prohibited.

ABOUT OUR COVER“Composition In Olive Greys and Whites,” acrylic on canvas by Marilyn Borglum.

Photo courtesy of Gallery Flux.

RichmondNavigator.com 7

MY DAUGHTER RACHEL DURING OUR RECENT TRIP TO AUSTRALIA: MERGING TWO OF MY VALUES, FAMILY AND TRAVEL.

The Beauty of the Horse

Lots of little girls love horses. When that childhood fascination is mixed with family artistic tradition and those majestic creatures become players in recurring dreams, the result seems inevitable.

For Marilyn Borglum, the legacy was nurtured by her grandmother and handed down from her grandmother’s uncles, Solon and Gutzon Borglum, and cousin, Lincoln Borglum.

Solon Borglum was an American sculptor and a portrait painter, noted for his depiction of frontier life, including cowboys and native Americans. When in Paris, he created several animal groups: Lassoing Wild Horses and The Stampede of Wild Horses. Both were shown at the Paris Salon in 1898 and 1899, respectively. Gutzon, also a sculptor, is best known for the creation of Mount Rushmore, assisted by his son, Lincoln. Virginians might recognize Gutzon’s “Aviator” sculpture, standing at the University of Virginia.

Fast forward several decades. Young Marilyn began drawing horses at an early age. Her grandmother became her ardent supporter if not her muse, encouraging her budding creative talents.

“Throughout my life, the horse has been a major direction in my work,” Marilyn Borglum says, “from the very earliest memories I have of drawing at three or four years old, throughout four years of graduate school, and for two decades since, I have drawn and painted horses… For some time I’ve been aware that the form of the horse holds deep psychological symbolism for me.” From the angry horse heads she drew when her parents divorced to those that showed up in recurring dreams as she struggled with a serious long-term illness, her equine art was deeper than the canvas. As she recovered, the horse in her dreams gained strength.

“The vast majorities of my equine paintings are pragmatic, and controlled in the execution,” Borglum notes, “as I systematically plan all or most of the formal elements.”

Borglum earned her Masters of Fine Arts degree in painting with an emphasis in lithographic printmaking. Besides horses, her work includes

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If you have news you’d like to share with Hanover Lifestyle readers, send it to us at [email protected].

gestural drawings of people in urban settings, using a contrasting intuitive art process.

“My objective with the urban and figurative drawings is to respond in a way that considers varying levels of cognitive control, a response to the subject, or environment that optimizes the intuitive element while still grappling with the learned skill and craft of the medium. Through this subconscious quick response to my subject in the drawings, my experience has been that I gain insight about the subject in the work, often realizing something about them I was unable to recognize before drawing it, or them.”

Though Borglum considers her work to be portraiture, her subjects range from horses and dogs to city scenes and people. Her artistic mediums include black crayon and acrylics.

Through Nov. 29, Borglum’s equine art and urban drawings and paintings will be on exhibit at Gallery Flux in Ashland, continuing an exhibit that opened in early October: “Portrait of the Horse” Fine Art by Marilyn Borglum.

The opening reception will be held on Thursday, Nov. 6, from 5:30-8 p.m., in conjunction with Ashland First Thursday. Borglum will be exhibiting her newest equestrian artwork along with her urban drawings.

Though Marilyn Borglum’s works are not of the same scale as her great-uncle’s presidential busts, her horses display beauty and soul that can never be eclipsed by Mount Rushmore – especially not to a lover of horses.

Gallery Flux | 307 B England St., Ashland | 804-752-3540 GalleryFlux.com

8 Hanover L i f es ty le

For two years, Center of the Universe (COTU) Brewing Co. in Ashland has been providing quality craft beer to Central Virginia and be-yond, while providing entertainment and just a fun hangout at its home in Hanover Air Park. To celebrate its second anniversary, COTU is hosting a three-day party from Friday through Sunday, Nov. 14-16.

Friday features live music from Ashland’s own The Tender; the return of The Richard, a popular, powerful imperial IPA; and food trucks.

Saturday’s highlight is the appearance of several national breweries that participated in the fundrais-ing Hops for Heroes efforts, including Cigar City, Slyfox, Stone, Left Hand, 21st Amendment, and Maui. Music will come from Vexine, a “sexy, soul-ful, edgy rock” band. Food trucks will be available to help soak up the 20-plus beers.

Sunday features two events, accompanied by live music from Something Shiny and food trucks. For the Stout Fest, COTU will pour six extremely limited stouts: Shut Up, El Duderino, The Dude, Unseasonable Stout, Orange You Glad It’s Stout Season, and a chocolate imperial stout.

The other event, the ticketed Beer, Choco-late, and Cheese Pairing, brings together six four-ounce pours of COTU brews, three artisan cheeses provided by Caboose Wine & Cheese in Ashland, and handmade chocolate truffles from Chocolates by Kelly. All beers, cheeses, and chocolates – each presented by an expert in the field – cost $20 per person.

11293 Air Park Rd., Ashland | 804-368-0299 COTUbrewing.com

Hey Jude, do The Beatles still matter after all these years? Come together at Randolph-Macon College to hear guitarist Kevin Harding discuss the influence of the Beatles 50 years after their arrival in the U.S. In exploring the topic, Harding places their contribution in the larger context of world music.

Harding teaches courses throughout Vir-ginia, including ethnomusicology, World Music, The Music of Brazil and the History of Rock. With a master’s degree in guitar performance, he has performed in nightclubs around the world

and co-founded the Richmond-based Brazilian quartet Quatro na Bossa.

The presentation is on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 7-9 p.m. at Brock Commons BC 201 on the Randolph-Macon College campus in Ashland. The event is free and open to the public.

As for the inevitable Q&A time, undoubt-edly lecturer Kevin Harding would say, “Feel free to ‘Ask Me Why.’”

Randolph-Macon College | 204 Henry St., Ashland 804-752-7200

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Influence of The Beatles

Hanover’s Craft Brewery Turns 2


FIND US ONLINEMagazine Archives Find old issues from 2012 to today

Calendar of Events Full listingof what’s on in the greater Richmond area

Business Directory Restaurant,shopping & entertainment locations

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AT THE Children’s Hospi-tal of Richmond at VCU (CHoR), kids and their

families don’t always feel like danc-ing. Serious illnesses and medical conditions hamper their energy and dampen their spirits. But the annual Virginia Dance Festival helps ensure that more children and families will have something to dance about.

The 16th annual Virginia Dance Festival, featuring over 300 dancers performing traditional and cultural dances as well as a silent auction, will benefit the Children’s Hospital Foun-dation. The foundation is dedicated to funding and advocating for pediat-ric initiatives that improve the status of health care and the quality of life for children in our region.

The Virginia Dance Festival is coordinated and founded by Jessica Morgan, long-time dancer, instructor,

business owner, and contributor to the Richmond dance com-munity. Morgan coordinates the event each year by gathering dance organizations throughout Virginia, representing a wide range of dance styles and different cultures – Irish, Bavar-ian, Latin, ballroom, Filipino, Spanish, Chinese, and more.

The upcoming festival is planned for Feb. 7 at The Altria Theater, with performances at 3 and 7 p.m. It is both a showcase of talent and an educational experience.

Businesses and organizations are encouraged to donate items for the silent auction, to make monetary donations, or to become an event sponsor. Since the event began, it has generated over $187,000 for Children’s Hospital Foundation through performances, ticket sales, sponsors, and silent auction donations.

The Children’s Hospital Foundation supports the pro-grams and initiatives of CHoR and the children it serves each year as well as other pediatric health care programs in the community. Those who support the Virginia Dance Festival can help the foundation – and help keep children dancing.

More Information:CHFRichmond.org

VirginiaDanceFestival.com

VIRGINIA DANCE FESTIVAL

Virginia Dance Festival: Benefiting the Children’s Hospital of Richmond

out the awkward dating scenarios. Both volunteers looking for a cause and caus-es looking for volunteers are included in their easily navigated website. It is through HandsOn that I found Hit-ting Cancer Below the Belt (HCB2.org), a Richmond-based organization dedicated to educating, advocating and eliminating cancer. Since I’m a “below the belt” cancer survivor, this volunteer opportunity was exactly what I was seeking!

You can find the volunteer oppor-tunity of your dreams, too. Conserva-tively, there are about 10,000 current volunteer opportunities within a 20-mile radius of Central Virginia. When you add in Borneo and the Peace Corps, millions of options are out there. Giv-ing back, paying it forward, doing it for your health – whatever cliché you want to sing, the bottom line is that we, as seniors, have much to offer to many who need us. Volunteer today!

See you in Borneo!

SENIORS

PAY IT FORWARD! Help others! Time to give back! It’s good for your health?

It’s true! Volunteering is healthy! According to research by the Corporation for National and Community Service (NationalService.org), volunteering leads to better health, and older volunteers (that’s us!) are the most likely to receive physical and mental health benefits from their volunteer activities. The research shows that those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional abil-ity, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. Translation: if you volunteer, you can eat more chocolate (okay, maybe that wasn’t in the study, but let’s go with it anyway)!

When my kids were younger, I was a volunteering junkie. Fundraising chairperson, chaperone, clean-up crew – it seemed in those days that my hand was perpetually raised and the only words I seemed to know were “Sure, I’ll help!” And while all of those experiences were rewarding, they were all centered around my children’s activities. Now that I’ve moved out of the perpetual-team-taxi/bake-sale-queen stage of my life, it’s time to reinvent the volunteer in me.

I turn to Google – the virtual keeper of all knowledge – for inspiration and ideas on what volunteering at this stage of my life looks like.

Volunteering vacations (“volcations”) pique my interest. Opportunities for

international travel combined with vol-unteering opportunities are available all over the world. One of my favorites: Orangutan.org takes 13 volunteers at a time on a two-week trip to Borneo to work with the wild orangutans at Camp Leakey – just like in the movie Born to be Wild, though sadly Morgan Freeman is not part of the package. Another great opportunity, Global-Volunteers.org, provides volcations to over 19 countries around the world and focuses on eradicating hunger, improv-ing health, and enhancing the IQ of people, rather than orangutans.

With more vacation days banked up than I could possibly use, and after making sure that “upgraded” accom-modations were available (tents, sleep-ing bags and bug netting are not my idea of a vacation, volunteer or other-wise), I work out the math. Volcations are not cheap, though probably cheaper than visiting one of these locations as a tourist. The Borneo option will run me about $5,000, and teaching English in China with Global Volunteers will cost about $3,500, not including airfare. Yikes! But remember, this is good for my health! My doctor will be proud.

While wait-ing for my ac-ceptance from the Borneo folks, I continue my searching. Did you know that the Peace Corps accepts seniors? Currently, about five percent of the 7,500 deployed Peace Corps volunteers are seniors or retired and the number is growing each year. Both skilled and semi-skilled

volunteers are welcome and the des-tinations are spread over six of the seven continents. The 27-month as-signments, though, might be a little tough to sell to my boss. (“Hello, Den-ise, I need some time off...”) Perhaps I need to look closer to home.

HandsOn Greater Richmond is an amazing organization that works somewhat like eHarmony.com, with-

By Constance Whitney

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Now that I’ve moved out of the perpetual-team-taxi/bake-sale-queen stage of my life, it’s time to reinvent the volunteer in me.

volunteering after 50It’s Better Than Kale!

check out these websites for more

volunteering ideas

local

HandsOnRVA.org

RichmondHabitat.org

RichmondSPCA.org/volunteer

YourUnitedWay.org

RMHC-Richmond.org (Ronald McDonald House)

national

NPS.gov/GetInvolved/Volunteer.htm

NationalService.gov/programs/Senior-Corps

IRS.gov/Individuals/IRS-Tax-Volunteers

HelpFromHome.org

PointsOfLight.org

RetiredBrains.com/Senior-Living-Resources/Volunteering

international

CrossCulturalSolutions.org

GoECO.org

www.PeaceCorps.gov/50plus



PEOPLE COME IN ALL shapes and sizes, and so do teeth and faces. Sometimes, though, nature doesn’t provide a perfectly matched pair; that is, sometimes the teeth that nature provides don’t show off the

face as well as we’d like.A combination of cosmetic bonding, porcelain veneers, orthodontics,

crowns, or enamel reshaping might just add up to a smile you’ll want to show more often.

We’re all conscious of how others see us and how our physical features complement each other. Your height, for example, can make a difference in which teeth get a high profile. If you’re short, your lower front teeth get the spotlight, since they’re seen from above. Taller folks need to be aware of the appearance of their upper front teeth, since they’re seen from slightly below. If front teeth are crooked, worn, chipped, or discolored – even on the biting edges – we may be able to minimize these negative features and accentuate the strengths of your smile.

Our experience in designing attention-grabbing smiles can show you it’s often desirable to deemphasize a long face by flattening the smile line, or to balance out a rounder, wider face by lengthening front teeth.

Every person is unique, and so is every smile. Our office team will work with you to achieve a satisfying harmony between your face and your smile.

Redesigning your smile requires a lot of discussion, questions, suggestions

Virginia Family Dentistry: Creating a Beautiful Smile for You!

– and time. It’s your smile, so we’ll take the time to recommend all the options we feel are right for your improved appearance, and the time to lis-ten to you – the most important member of our “smile-design team.”

Does this sound like the kind of individual attention you’re looking for? Call one of our eleven locations and schedule a consultation. Let us tell you know how we can create a beau-tiful smile especially for you!

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DADDY G’S SALSA

At the time, Galiffa says his career path was rock ’n’ roll. “I wanted to be a rock star.” He did and still does play in a band (The Fredds, since 1990).

I asked him if, even then, he had thoughts of selling the salsa. “Absolutely,” Galiffa says. “I was very passionate about something that unique. I’d never had anything like that salsa in my life.”

Fast forward three decades. Galiffa is mar-ried, with three grown children. “The family came before the music. My goal was to be the best father I could,” he says, explaining why music had gone from being his passion to a diversion, why his persona had changed from Big Daddy G, the rocker, to a (somewhat) mild-mannered advertising executive, living in a “cul-de-sac utopia” in Hanover County.

After giving up rock ’n’ roll as a full-time pursuit, Galiffa turned to advertising. “I have a lineage in marketing and advertising through my mom,” he says. “My mother was a well-known illustrator and graphic designer in the area.”

However, one thing hadn’t changed over the years. Galiffa was still thinking about that salsa from the Border. “I could close my eyes and I could still ‘taste’ it. I could still ‘smell’ it,” he says.

After the Border closed, the owners had given the recipe to their employees, one of whom had given it to Galiffa.

“It took me a couple of years to parse it down. The recipe was for 50 gallons,” he says. “It was difficult getting the measurements right [for a smaller batch]. It would ei-ther be too much of this or not enough of that.”

And although Galiffa continued to work on the recipe through the years, he says, “There was no plan. It was more of a hobby. From time to time, I’d work on it.” Several years ago, he said he got to the point where he felt the salsa could be produced and marketed.

“So many of my friends would call or email me asking for some, or I’d get home and there’d be a grocery bag on my porch, filled with empty jelly jars, with a note from a friend asking for some of the salsa.”

Even though the salsa was popular with his friends, he continued to tweak the recipe,

trying different spices, to-matoes, and other ingredi-ents, until f inally he knew he had it. The taste he had remembered, in a recipe with manageable proportions.

But the birth of Daddy G’s Salsa (the name, of course, stemming from an old nick-name from his rocker days) was still about six years ahead. “Finally, last summer, my friends got to be obnoxious,” Galiffa jokes. “I love them for it, but they pushed me, pushed me, pushed me.”

Even before he had decided to start producing his salsa com-mercially, Galiffa says he became

impressed with the way the local craft brewers had built their success through the social media networks, as well as with the communal spirit in the industry. So, one day, he took a jar of his salsa and a bag of chips up to Midnight Brewing in Goochland.

PHOTOS BY ANNIE TOBEY

“So many of my friends would call or email me asking for some, or I’d get home and there’d be a grocery bag on my porch, filled with empty jelly jars, with a note from a friend asking for some of the salsa.”

following a Delicious

DreamA

S A STUDENT AT VCU, back in the early 80s, Chris Galiffa

was a regular at the Texas Wisconsin Border Café, which at the

time was one of the most popular restaurants/bars in the Fan.

Chris was, himself, a fan of their salsa. Thanks to one man having never

let go of a dream born decades ago, I recently had the chance to become

a fan of virtually that same salsa myself, when I met with Galiffa at Isley

Brewing Company and shared some of his salsa, along with a fantastic

beer. More about that in a moment; but first, let’s get back to 1981.

By Steve Cook


“I sat the salsa on a stool and passed the chips around. People just started loving it,” he says. From that experiment and his observations was born a marketing plan.

Today, the Border Café is gone. But their sa lsa l ives on and can be enjoyed at a number of the loca l breweries. Gal iffa’s f irst customer was Trae Cairns at Midnight Brewery. Strange-ways Brewing was next. And then came Isley. Galiffa had met Mike Isley at Midnight Brewery even before he opened his own brewery in Scott ’s Addition. Isley had told him he wanted to buy his product.

“Today, Mike’s my biggest customer,” Galiffa says.Isley, who has joined us at the bar in his tasting room, interrupts.

“What he means is that I’m the largest purchaser of his products. I’m not his biggest customer. I have sort of a complex.” Isley, who is anything but diminutive, laughs.

“He sells the heck out of my salsa here,” Galiffa says. “There’s something in this beer that makes people want salsa.”

“I feel like we have the atmosphere for people to come in, sit down, and to eat and drink, although we are truly a tasting room,” Isley says.

Galiffa says that while there are other breweries and other grocery outlets he could pursue in his salsa sales efforts, currently he’s keep-ing the business small enough to be handled by himself, his wife, and two of the children. His oldest daughter is a schoolteacher in Northern Virginia.

“Right now, it’s all hands on deck,” he says. “I’d like to grow it someday. I want to leverage idea guys like Mike when I’m ready to take it to the next level.”

And where might that next level be? “My mission is, don’t put your arms around more than you can carry,” Galiffa says. “Right now, I have it small enough where I can stil l deliver a great product.”

In addition to selling his salsa in limited Richmond-area brew-eries as well as some smaller markets, including the new Southern Season near Willow Lawn and Libbie Market, Galiffa often delivers that great product, which includes three flavors – Rockin’, Smokin’, and Kickin’ (the hottest) – to a variety of beer tastings and festivals around the state.

Galiffa says that he enjoys being “small potatoes” for now. “I’m not a control freak,” he says, “but this is my brand. It’s my vision. It’s my voice. And it’s a great life.”

Chris Galiffa and Mike Isley at Isley Brewing Company



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7044 Lee Park Road(Across from

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(804) 559-9800


SHOPPER’S GUIDE

AS THE SEASON FOR SHOPPING BEGINS, think outside the big box store for finding unique items for yourself, your home and your family and friends. Check out what some of our local retailers are offering in the Richmond area.


H A N O V E R L I F E S T Y L E

HAVE YOU WANTED to update your home but don’t know where to start? Let the friendly staff at Thrill of the Hunt be your guides. This one-of-a-kind, family-owned retail destination is your one stop shop for all things home décor, including an onsite upholsterer plus painters and decorators that can come to your house. They specialize in up-cycling, upholstery, and custom furniture.

“What’s up-cycling?” you ask. It’s transforming that old piece to something new, bringing it back to life! Simple cosmetic and design im-provements magnify the beauty and value. Looking to renew that dated armchair that’s just sitting in your garage? Their talented upholster has you covered.

Besides works from creative local artists, the store also carries in-dustrials – repurposed industrial items like an old toolbox made into a coffee table or an old tobacco cart that becomes a table. If you can’t find what you’re looking for in the store, check out their online auction site, BidSmith.net, for more unique home items.

In addition to helping you with decorating, Thrill of the Hunt can guide you to helpful decorating products, including Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®. The versatile, velvety, matte-finish paint is extremely easy to work with. It can be used inside or outside and on most surfaces.

You’ll be thrilled at Thrill of the Hunt in Ashland, VA.

315 ENGLAND ST. | ASHLAND | 804-368-0184ThrillOfTheHuntVA.com

THRILL OF THE HUNT

A HOME SHOULD REFLECT your heart and your spirit. Roomers Design Shoppe specializes in creating interiors as unique and special as you! They bring ideas to your home, concepts that express your individuality. If these ideas go beyond the fabrics and accessories in the store, Roomers has dozens of great resources to order from. A commitment to helping customers achieve their vision has been a Roomers priority for the last 30 years.

Roomers carries window treatments, vertical and horizontal blinds, pleated and cellular shades, and window shadings, plus bedding, wall cover-ings, and area rugs. Looking for something unique? You’ll find locally made and hard-to-find gifts and an exclusive line of shower curtains and bathroom accessories. Their skilled, experienced designers suggest finishes and furnish-ings that work for you, helping you create custom window coverings that function for your individual lifestyle.

If you are working with a tighter budget, Roomers features an “almost custom” option – valances, draperies, bedding, shower curtains, and table-cloths, created from hundreds of designer fabrics and styles, at a fraction of the price. Simply take the design professionals at Roomers your measurements and pick out the fabric and the style you desire. The finished product usually arrives within one to four weeks. Their professional installer can hang them for you or you can do it yourself.

Come in to get the interior design look you want without spending all of your holiday cash!

1364 GASKINS RD. | HENRICO | 804-740-0231RoomersDesign.com

ROOMERS DESIGN SHOPPE


2 0 1 4 S H O P P E R ’ S G U I D E

WANT TO GET your pool, hot tub, and outdoor living needs fulfilled by the Official Hot Tub Provider of the Washington Redskins Training Camp? Then head out to Pla-Mor Pools. Their two stores, conveniently located in Mechanicsville and Ashland, are full-service destinations, your one stop shops for all things outdoor living.

In addition to an extensive inventory of products – spas, above-ground pools, vinyl liner replacements, pool chemicals, grills and smokers, and all the accessories or toys a pool or spa owner could ever dream of – Pla-Mor Pools offers essential maintenance and repair services. As an authorized warranty repair station, they stock major brand name repair parts. For restoration, maintenance, or repair, Pla-Mor’s trained service techs are ready to assist you.

This established family-owned Central Virginia business has been creating satisfied customers since 1968. They’re known for expertise and reliability. They pride themselves on unmatched quality of products and services as well as on competitive pricing and unsurpassed warranties. Pla-Mor Pools recently received the national Lonza-AquaValue 2014 Retailer of the Year award.

Create your own vacation paradise, a space where you can spend relaxing quality time with family and loved ones throughout the year. You’ll score a touchdown when you fulfill your pool and hot tub needs at Pla-Mor Pools!

7225 BELL CREEK RD. | MECHANICSVILLE | 804-746-5555119 JUNCTION DR. | ASHLAND | 804-798-3667PlaMorPools.com

PLA-MORPOOLS

WHETHER FOR THE holidays to spruce up the family room, for Thanksgiving to enhance the dining room, or for any occasion, “Rugs make a great gift,” says Amir Zinat, owner of Amir Rug Exchange.

When you purchase one of his Persian rugs or carpets, you’re not just purchasing a rug, he says: “You’re purchasing a piece of folk art.”

Most of the rugs and carpets come from Iran, with a few from India and China. “These rugs are handmade in the private homes of the villagers,” says Amir. “It may take a family a year or more to create this one rug,” he says, pointing to one of the many beautiful Persian rugs on display in the spacious showroom.

Amir says that the Amir Rug Exchange selection is the largest in the state. They carry rugs as small as one foot by one foot, but they specialize in room-sized and oversized rugs and carpets.

Amir’s father started the business over 50 years ago. The company’s longevity, Amir says, is a credit to their honesty, consideration, customer service, and low pricing – including their low-price guarantee.

Outstanding selection, lifetime guarantee, and unbeatable prices – it’s all at Amir Rug Exchange.

2004 STAPLES MILL RD. (CROSSROADS SHOPPING CENTER) RICHMOND | 804-358-1711AmirRugExchange.com

AMIR RUGEXCHANGE

FLAVORYOUR DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT SOURCE

PABELLON SAPORI ITALIAN & LATIN CAFE

Shredded beef with rice, black beans, and sweet plantains.

7154 Mechanicsville Tnpk. | 804-723-8163 SaporiCuisine.com

HANOVER TAVERN

One of the oldest surviving taverns in the United States, Hanover Tavern offers pub-style food in a historic environment. They offer seasonal menus under the creative direction of their executive chef, Mary Catherine Thompson.

13181 Hanover Courthouse Rd.804-537-5050HanoverTavern.org

ISLAMORADA Inside this giant restaurant (lo-cated inside a Bass Pro Shop) enjoy shrimp, crab cakes, walleye, salmon, mahi mahi, calamari, tuna and fried cat fish. Wild game of-ferings include venison, buffalo and alligator.

11550 Lakeridge Pkwy. 804-496-4800FishCompany.com

IRON HORSE

For over 18 years, Iron Horse has served fine food and drink at the corner of the busiest rail line in the East. The menu offers fresh regional seafood, hand-cut steaks, and chef-inspired nightly specials.

100 South Railroad Ave. 804-752-6410IronHorseRestaurant.com

O’BANKS

An Irish-American restaurant lo-cated in Ashland, O’Banks serves an assortment of seafood, steak, and ca-sual fare, including Sunday brunch. Check out their specials, including a $4.50 burger night on Mondays and live music Friday and Saturday.

10392 Leadbetter Rd.804-550-3888OBanksCafe.com

FLAVOR

In Search of International Dishes

BLACKENED CHICKEN PASTA PRIMAVERA ROMA’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO

For over 30 years, Roma’s owners have been serving healthy portions of authentic Italian food in a casual, friendly atmosphere with superb service. You’ll find a multitude of choices at Roma’s for creative, delightful Italian dishes with flavors of the Mediterranean. One especially popular choice is the Blackened Chicken Pasta Primavera. Sautéed mixed vegetables are tossed in a creamy, mouth-watering Alfredo sauce and topped with blackened grilled chicken. The creamy Alfredo mingles with the grilled chicken for a marriage made in Italian heaven and consummated on your palate!

7240 Bell Creek Rd., Mechanicsville 804-559-9200 | RomaItalian.com

CAMARONES A LA CREMA MEXICO RESTAURANT

Delightfully authentic cuisine and friendly service in a festive Mexican setting – since 1990, the Garcia family has brought the flavors of Guadalajara to Central Virginia. Their dishes use the freshest ingredients in traditional tacos and burritos as well as in creative dishes using sophisticated sauces and unusual tastes – “a fiesta for your mouth.” The Camarones a la Crema blends grilled shrimp and mushrooms with Chef Ramon’s special crema sauce, a rich melding of brilliant flavors. The blend is perfectly complemented with Mexican white rice and sautéed grilled vegetables.

7162 Mechanicsville Tnpk. | 804-559-8126 | Mexico-Restaurant.com

GINGER RED QUATTRO GINGER RED ASIAN BISTRO

Redefining Asian cuisine, Ginger Red invites you to experience various flavors of tropical Asia – Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai – in a contemporary and comfortable ambiance. The restaurant features a spacious dining area, banquet room, an open kitchen, and a full bar. Order their popular Ginger Red Quattro and create your own entrée, including two shrimp and two chicken, tossed in your favorite two sauces, some spicy and some not. Pictured are the Srira and Honey sauces. Other sauces are General Tso’s, Orange, and Sesame. Available gluten free.

Cocktail: Golden Orchard – Ginger Red’s latest tipple embodies fall with a blending of Goldschlager and Angry Orchard apple cider with a touch of caramel and cinnamon spice. It’s simply delicious.

7500 Jackson Arch Dr. | 804-427-7256 | GingerRed.com

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HOME AUTOMATION by Erin D. Pittman

HOME AUTOMATION is no longer a thing of the future: it’s here and is enhancing lives, adding convenience and providing energy savings to millions of Americans each day. Having a connected home where all devices “talk” to each other isn’t just for the elite (or for characters in Hollywood films). With various cost levels and customization options available, everyone can design their ideal automated home.

Home automation gives you the ability to control everything in your home via the Internet or internal system – lighting, temperature, security, shades, audio/visual, and more. Whether with touch pads located around your home, wireless remotes, or an app through your smartphone or tablet, you can control the elements of your home with the push of a button.

Enhance and improve your life with home automation options. Imagine getting up at night to use the bathroom and floor lights automatically illuminating the way. Think how convenient it would be to remotely control the temperature of your home or monitor your residence via your smartphone. A smart home offers convenience, comfort, financial savings, and increased safety.

LUTRON ELECTRONICSCRESTON ELECTRONICS“When trying to work with 10 different types of products in a home, some will work better together than others. When working with Crestron, it’s simpler, less challenging, because you can piece together an entire system that works well together.”

AT&T offers home security and home

automation services that work with your smartphone,

tablet, or computer, allowing remote access as well as in-home operation.

Highlights include front door video cameras and locks,

thermostat adjustments, and light and small appliance

controls.

RichmondNavigator.com 25

SAFETYSafety is a key element of many smart homes. Vid-eo surveillance, glass breakage and motion sensors, flashing-light alarms, and numeric door locks are just a few of the high-tech features available. Se-curity can be tied into lighting as well. If you hear a noise in the middle of the night, with one touch of your smartphone, you can illuminate every light in the house. How’s that for deterring intruders?

For additional security, you can set up tel-ephone entry for your home.

“For telephone entry, an intercom placed at the front door is hooked up to phones in the house,” explains Jeremy Jacobs, marketing repre-sentative with Channel Vision, a leading manu-facturer of surveillance, audio/visual, and tele-phone-entry products. “When a person presses the doorbell, it not only rings the bell, but also rings all of the phones in the house. The home-owner answers the phone and presses the entry button to let their guests in.”

LIGHTING/SHADES“Everyone can afford to install lighting, shad-ing, and temperature controls within their homes and enjoy the benefits,” said David Weinstein, vice president of residential sales with Lutron Electronics, Inc.

Lutron offers a range of options, from low-end do-it-yourself products for those wanting to start small on up to ultra-high-end options in-stalled by professionals.

Automated lighting can mean never going home to a dark house or having just the right lighting for every task. Homeowners can sched-ule every light in the house to go off at 1 a.m. or tap a button on their smartphone when they’re leaving work to illuminate exterior lights. Per-haps you want the perfect lighting for entertain-

ing or for your shades to drop daily at dusk. It’s all attainable in a smart home, where you create your ideal environment.

“Through our products, we offer that funda-mental feeling that’s hard to describe, but that people desire to experience. It’s called ‘pleas-ance,’” said Weinstein.

Lighting and shading not only provide peace of mind and privacy, but also offer energy sav-ings. Pair this with a smart thermostat and you’ll be doing your part for the Earth while best en-joying your home.

AUDIO/VISUALWhen thinking of ambiance, comfort, and enjoy-ment, you can’t forget the audio/visual aspects of your home. With automated technology, you can wire speakers into each room of your home and blast your favorite tunes across the home with central controls. However, you may quickly tire of your teenage daughter’s complaints about your taste in music. Remedy this by equipping a few rooms with a Bluetooth option, so each member of the family can easily play their preferred tunes.

Create your ideal home theater experience or access your high-tech video surveillance systems through monitors positioned throughout your home or via your iPad.

HOW TO GET STARTEDThere are endless options available for home automation, from do-it-yourself small kits to a total-control, wired smart home.

Crestron Electronics, Inc. is a leader in home au-tomation products and works with dealers and install-ers throughout the country, including Richmond.

“One of the biggest benefits of working with Crestron is that we do make so many products,” says Greg Haas, Crestron regional sales manag-

er. “When trying to work with 10 different types of products in a home, some will work better together than others. When working with Cre-stron, it’s simpler, less challenging, because you can piece together an entire system that works well together.”

And in thinking about your automated home, you can now think aesthetics as well as perfor-mance. With smart homes becoming more main-stream, the options for functionality paired with beauty have become broader. For example, shading offers varying levels of control and beautification options from honeycomb shades to drapes.

“We’ve seen incredible growth and interest in automated shading,” says Weinstein. “Con-sumers can buy battery-powered shades directly from the [Lutron] website and install them themselves. On the higher end, we have eight automated shade systems wired on low-voltage power. There are more fabric and design options for our wired shades.”

If you’re ready to jump into home automation full force, unless you’re a techie yourself, it’s best to work with a professional. Visit the Crestron, Lutron, or Channel Vision websites to locate nu-merous dealers and installers in the Richmond area. If you’re just looking to dabble and start small, a do-it-yourself system or individual com-ponents may be right for you. Control your en-tryway lights or install motion-detected lighting around your home with simple kits from a local home improvement store.

Home automation is all about customization. You can create your perfect smart home that en-hances your family’s peace of mind and qual-ity of life daily. Decide which elements of your home you’d like to have “talk” to each other and on what level, and go from there. Your smarter home awaits.

LUTRON ELECTRONICS, INC.Automated lighting can mean never going

home to a dark house or having just the right lighting for every task.

Homeowners can schedule every light in the house to go off at 1 a.m. or tap a button on their smartphone when they’re leaving work to illuminate exterior lights.

Perhaps you want the perfect lighting for entertaining or for your

shades to drop daily at dusk. It’s all attainable in a smart home, where you create your ideal environment.


he calendar is punctuated throughout the year with holidays, special occasions, and our own unique happenings. We frequently celebrate these moments-to-remember with family and friends, and sometimes guests fill our home to overflowing. Welcoming company is always an

opportunity to put our best foot forward and make guests feel at home and appreciated.How can you make your home inviting and comfortable for visitors? Think back to your last

stay in a nice hotel and all the amenities you enjoyed. When outfitting your home for company, incorporate any features or experiences you found to be particularly special or, conversely, correct any inconveniences you noticed.

By Vicki O’Neal, ASID, CID, VSLD

Vicki O'Neal , ow ner

of FORM & F U NCTION,

prov ides commerc ia l

and res iden t ia l in ter ior

and land scape des ig n .

She i s a profess iona l

member of A SID, VA

Cer t i f ied In ter ior

Des ig ner (CID) , Ma s ter

Gardener , and a VA

Cer t i f ied Land scape

Des ig ner (VSLD) and a

Hor t icu l t ur i s t .

804-897-8558 FormAndFunctionLLC.com

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YOUR EXTERIOR GREETING MAY PRIMARILY CONSIST OF TASTEFUL, PERMANENT PLANTINGS ACCENTED WITH COLORFUL ANNUALS AND SEASONAL DECORATIONS.

Perfect Hostthe

First Impressions First

Creating a warm welcome starts long before your company arrives at the front door. Your yard, driveway, sidewalk, and entryway create a lasting first impression, so make it the best it can be.

Because guests can be of all ages and have very different needs, it’s good to begin by evaluating your site objectively. Think about your home and property as they look through the eyes of your guests. Is extra parking available and recognizable? Is the walk clear of objects and obstacles? Are the steps safe and the handrails secure? Is there adequate lighting? These considerations are utilitarian but nonetheless quite important.

The Softer Side of “Welcome”

Decorating the outside of your home can be as much fun as decorating the inside, and thoughtful touches make your exterior warm and inviting. The energetic focal point of your home is always the front door. Use that axiom to your best advantage by focusing your efforts there and creating a special feature. One large display will draw the eye right where you want it, and that single, bold statement is much more effective than smaller items scattered about.

Colorful and boldly overflowing containers are a dramatic eye-catcher and can be the basis of your design. For the strongest impact, however, it is important to move


the eye to the vertical dimension. To get the biggest bang for your buck, choose colors, plant materials, and motifs that with minor tweaks can gracefully transition seasons. Matching or coordinating flowers and foliage with an accent paint color for your front door or entry is an especially striking “hello.” Seating near the front door, kept clean and comfortable, is always welcoming, even if it’s rarely used. A welcome mat may display a distinctive design or seasonal greeting and is always functional.

Inviting Indoor Spaces

Just as with the outdoors, clearing a path in your entry or foyer makes arrival with coats and/or suitcases easier. Your guests will often greet each other at the door, so a little extra space for congregating is helpful when possible. Make sure your coat closet has ample room and extra hangers, and provide a coat rack for overflow if it will likely be needed. Because the foyer is a transition to the living space, art, furnishings, and décor can be striking, yet simple and uncluttered. Your closest relatives and friends frequently come to your back door instead of the front, making similar considerations and accommodations helpful.

As you and your guests move through your home and through the day or the period of their visit, the needs and uses of each space could vary greatly. Thinking through the activities that will likely occur and the spaces where they will take place may point to the potential need for flexibility and rearrangement. Meals are the most common activity that will need your full focus, and may be, of course, the only event on the agenda.

Time to Dine

Do-ahead preparation can clear the way for stress-free hosting, enabling you to better enjoy time with your visitors. From organizing your cookware, serving pieces, and table settings to planning seating arrangements, advance attention can reduce last-minute distractions. These little things, when left to the last minute, may seem like big things. The number of people you’re entertaining will have a big impact on the pre-planning needed and the effort

required just before and during the event.

The type of table you arrange and the service you set up will establish the tone for the meal, whether formal or casual. If you are serving a larger group, seating may be needed in multiple rooms. To tie it all together visually, use a similar type, style, and color of linens, placemats, and accents, such as arrangements and candles. Even though everyone is not seated at a single table, it can still be a coordinated design. With creativity and the right accessories, it is even possible to set an elegant yet casual table with paper plates. They are a great alternative for a larger event and, of course, cleanup is a breeze.

Many homes no longer have formal dining rooms. If you have this type of floor plan or are otherwise shopping for dining furniture, be sure to check out the many flexible and multipurpose table designs, some with multiple heights and self-stored leaves. Mobile carts are also useful and can move from room to room and outside.

For Overnighters

A pleasant and comfortable guest room leaves space for your guests. The room should be nicely decorated, but you should provide surfaces, closet space, and drawers for guests to put their things away. Draperies or window coverings are important for privacy and light control. Portable luggage racks are very useful and easily stored after

use. Ample lighting is a must, and lamps with multiple light levels are a thoughtful touch. If you are furniture shopping and space is a challenge, new designs for sleeper couches actually offer both style and comfort. Murphy beds also create multiuse spaces and extra accommodation for t ight qua r ters . A nightl ight in the

hallway, an extra blanket, coasters for the table – you’ve thought of everything!

Indulge your guests with thoughtful touches in the bathroom, like luxurious towels, fine soaps, fluffy rugs, maybe even a towel warmer. Make sure the basics are readily available – toiletries in case they were forgotten, a new toothbrush, and a hair dryer, for example. Leave a drawer free or perhaps provide a tray for personal items. You might want to include an assist bar in the shower for safety.

After Dinner

For your overnight guests: dinner’s done, but what’s next? Activities will differ depending on the age group and interests of your guests as well as the options available in your home. Movies on the big screen are always a great choice and allow some downtime after a lot of activity. Through the years, board games have been one of our favorite activities and have given us many fond memories. Active games such as ping-pong, pool, or exer-gaming are always great. Music and conversation keep the evening lively and engaging.

Whether your guests number two or 22, hosting and entertaining can be fun and entertaining for all. Keep it light, stress free, and simple. And most of all – enjoy!

Visit the FOR M & FUNCTION Lifestyle blog by Vicki O’Neal for more information on entertaining, interior design, and landscape design,

FormAndFunctionLLC.com

GUEST ROOMS CAN BE SIMPLE BUT TASTEFULLY DECORATED WITH PLENTY OF SPACE LEFT FOR YOUR GUESTS TO PLACE THEIR THINGS. A BENCH DOUBLES AS A GREAT LUGGAGE RACK.

CONSIDER A TOTAL DEPARTURE FROM THE EXPECTED AND CREATE AN IMAGINATIVE CENTERPIECE BASED ON A THEMATIC IDEA.


A8 SeriesThe Model of Choice for Training Camp

www.plamorpools.com

hanover lifestyle november/december 2014

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